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The Reviews for Wind River (2017)

Reviewed byTroy_CampbellVote: 9/10/10There has been next to no fanfare for the release of this murdermystery. Which is surprising, considering the talent involved in frontof the camera (Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen) and behind it(writer-director Taylor Sheridan). Fresh from joining the ranks oftop-tiered screenwriters after the amazing one-two punch of Sicario andHell or High Water, Sheridan continues his stellar run with aheart-wrenching study of loss and grief wrapped in a taut crimethriller narrative. Also having a crack at directing, Sheridan allowsthe snowy Wyoming setting to completely envelope the characters in aworld that feels like it has no exits, both physically and emotionally.When this Native American community is hit with a homicide it feelslike another tragedy in a long line of tragedies; their shock isreplaced with deeper sorrow, their outrage is replaced with solemndefeat. Entering the scene like a fish out of water, Olsen's junior FBIagent Jane Banner must traverse the tricky cultural complexities ifshe's to understand the clues in front of her. Luckily she has Renner'slocal hunter Cory Lambert to assist, himself battling with a pastfamily disaster. Renner and Olsen are both in terrific form, the formerhiding his grief under a stoic veneer, the latter balancing big-cityattitude with a genuine desire to find justice for the victim. Veterancharacter actor Gil Birmingham is also superb as a father unsure of howto deal with his earth-shattering loss. If this all sounds a bit heavy,well it is, but Sheridan's careful to inject a healthy dose of suspenseand mild action to keep the drama gripping rather than overbearing; thefinale in particular turns the movie on its head in an unpredictablebut extremely effective manner. An intelligent, slow burning andprovocative viewing that enthrals from start to finish, Wind River isan understated gem that deserves an audience.

In the frosty Wind River Indian Reservation of Wyoming, the body an 18year old Native American girl is discovered by Wildlife service agentCory Lambett (Jeremy Renner). Lambett with his knowledge of themountain assists foreign FBI agent Jane Banner (Elizabeth Olson) totrack down the killer, but also his own personal reasons wants to findthe killer in an attempt to wrestle his own demons.

Inspired by true cases of missing native American girls, Wind River hascold hearted passion in its story-telling. A very melancholy murdermystery drama exploring grief and vengeance but also the neglect of theNative Americans in the mountain regions in the USA.

During a time this week while I was pondering the significance ofdifferent crime thrillers, with also the approach of the The Snowman inNovember, Wind River is real important stand out. The film itselfalthough is about a murder is more centred on the atmosphere andlocation. Repetitive vibes of a hellish land resonate throughout thefilm. This mostly breathed life by the chilly aerial shots of the coldmountain land, identifying misery through the snow breeze and wind (anatmospheric format that was similar expressed in Hell or High Water).The most haunting aspect is the character brought to Wind River by NickCave and Warren Elis eerie soundtrack, echoing the dark past of thefreezing land.

What leads us into the desolate mystery of Wind River is Jeremey Rennersuperb performance as the experienced hunter possessed by the past butalso enriched with perception of his home land and its welcome. Rennervery much appears as himself, however is a perfect casting choice withhis neutral expression hiding his deeper emotions. Opposite isElizabeth Olson, the most convincing FBI agent I've seen on screen fora while. But her city slicker style does not prepare her for thedivergent law enforcement experience in the isolated Wyoming. These twoleads are the perfect casting, with a enigmatic presence that makes youcompletely believe in them.

While Wind River has deeper meaning at its centre, Sheridan knows howto thrill his audience in quiet sensational but violent sequences. Loudsound effects of the gun shots bring light to the silent landscape thatthe characters dwell, and present a sense of realism to the experience.

Sheridan's third feature in his trilogy of modern American lawenforcement, following, Sicario, Hell or High Water, has shown hisstrength in creating masterful crime thrillers with much to reflectabout the real world. This capacity has also lead stronger confidencehis potential prospects in directing a Bond film. 9.2/10

Reviewed byPaul AllaerVote: 8/10/10"Wind River" (2017 release; 107 min.) brings the story of WildlifeOfficer Cory Lambert. As the movie opens, reminding us "Inspired ByActual Events", we briefly see a woman running for her life in thesnow. We then are introduced to Lambert, who is hunting down wolves.Lambert visits his ex, where he picks up his young son for the day.Lambert then visits the parents of his ex, as their life stock has beenattacked, possibly by a lion. In the course of starting hisinvestigation, Lambert finds the frozen body of the woman we sawrunning for her life. Because it looks like a possible homicide, an FBIagent is called. At this point we're 10 min. into the movie, but totell you more of the plot would spoil your viewing experience, you'lljust have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Couple of comments: this movie marks the second directing stint ofhighly praised writer (and erstwhile actor) Taylor Sheridan, whoseprevious two movies, 2015's "Sicario" and last year's "Hell or HighWater", were among the top movie of the year for me. "Wind River" isfor me one of the most anticipated movies of the year, period. With"Wind River", Sheridan goes in a very different direction again ascompared to "Sicario" and "Hell or High Water", digging into a murdermystery, set in an Indian reservation in snow-covered Wyoming. JeremyRenner brings perhaps his finest performance of his career as theWildlife hunter/tracer Cory Lambert, who himself carries a heavysecret. Elizabeth Olsen is Jane Banner, the wide-eyed inexperienced FBIagent who is in way over her head but is determined to do what isright. "You are looking for clues but you are missing all the signs",remarks Lambert early on, and she begs him to help her. And there areplenty of potential suspects--it's not a coincidence that this is setin a community that has more than its share of crime and misery.Sheridan leads with confidence as the tension in the movie rarely letsup. Bottom line: this is another nice movie from Tayalor Sheridan, whoin just a matter of a few years has become one of Hollywood mostaccomplished writer-directors. Can't wait for his next movie,"Soldado", a sequel to "Sicario", to be released next year.

"Wind River" opened this weekend at my local art house theater here inCincinnati on not one, but two screens, a rarity. The Saturday matinéescreening where I saw this at was attended very nicely for a matinée. Iimagine that "Wind River" will benefit from the strong word-of-mouththat this will surely generate. If you are in the mood for a top-notchmystery drama with some stellar performances, you cannot go wrong with"Wind River" be it in the theater, on VOD or eventually on DVD/Blu-ray."Wind River" is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

The Plot Summary for Wind River (2017)

WIND RIVER is a chilling thriller that follows a rookie FBI agent (Elizabeth Olsen) who teams up with a local game tracker with deep community ties and a haunted past (Jeremy Renner) to investigate the murder of a local girl on a remote Native American Reservation in the hopes of solving her mysterious death.